Patrick Leahy, the senior senator from Vermont, has appeared in four Batman movies, including the forthcoming Dark Knight Rises.

Warner Bros. produced all four of these movies.

Time Warner owns Warner Bros.

During his 2010 reelection campaign, Leahy received more money from Time Warner than any other member of Congress.

Last spring, Leahy introduced the corporate-friendly Protect IP Act (PIPA), the companion to the House bill SOPA.

Time Warner was among the many media corporations and Hollywood studios pushing for passage of these bills.

Are there any coincidences here? You be the judge.

“It seems unlikely that it’s Sen. Leahy’s acting skills alone that have earned him his recurring roles in these movies,” Free Press President and CEO Craig Aaron told Vermont publication Seven Days. “We’ve seen the power that giant companies like Hollywood studios have to influence and buy legislation, and this is just another small but high-profile example of that.”

Aw, come on! Leahy’s casting has nothing to do with his close-knit bond to Time Warner and everything to do with the historic bond between Batman and the Green Mountain State.

 “Batman’s connection to Vermont is a great thing that spans many years,” Leahy spokesman David Carle said in a statement. “The Batman character has been one of Patrick Leahy’s lifelong passions, and it has spawned and energized an enduring bond to Vermont.”

Did you hear that? Now that’s an Oscar-worthy performance!

Still of Patrick Leahy opposite the late Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight.